My quest for a simple pack "load hauling" frame has taken me "Down the Rabbit Hole"! This time I'm going down the Rabbit Hole with A.L.I.C.E.!
My first venture to implement a load hauler, met with only 60% success with my modified Mystery Ranch Thor III pack. With that moderate failure, I decided to go "Old School" and pursue the A.L.I.C.E. pack frame I carried when I was a Cav Scout in the U.S. Army.
I was somewhat stymied at first due to high prices and availability of original U.S. Issue A.L.I.C.E. pack frames. As I often do, I put the thought on the back burner. In Early May, a Military Surplus Store opened two blocks from my home. The day the store opened for business, I walked in and saw a stack of A.L.I.C.E. packs with frames in the corner. I pains takenly sorted through all of them and when I was finished I had found a Medium and a Large "Ruck" both complete with with frames, pads and straps! They were never issued. with the exception of some storage debris (dust and spider webs), they were in NEW Condition. I wound up purchasing both "Ruck Sacks" for $70.00.
My original thought was to purchase A FRAME! However, nostalgia got the better of me and I couldn't bring myself to separate the packs from the frames. So, back to the Surplus Store I Went....
After seeing A.L.I.C.E., I went down "The Rabbit Hole" with her. As a result of many hours exploring on-line and many purchases from across the United States, I now have enough Packs, Frames, Accessories, and Replacement Parts to field no less than 7 pack systems based on the A.L.I.C.E. Pack Frame....... Yes, My A.L.I.C.E. Pack Mania Has Metamorphosised Into Absolute RUCKDICULOUSNESS!!!!
During this video, I am going to tell you the tale of my journey down A.L.I.C.E.s Rabbit Hole. I will also add the first installment of numerous videos in a series focused on my Ruckdiculous purchasing spree! The first installment will be a step by step instructional of converting the A.L.I.C.E. frame into a "LOAD HAULER"
Links to A.L.I.C.E pack parts and accessory manufacturers:
Waist Belt and Kidney pad;
thehiddenwoodsmen.com/product...
Shoulder Straps and Rain Cover;
fireforceusa.com/alicegear/al...
Items Purchased From Ebay (note: these items may not be available any longer. Also, some of these items may be available through other sellers at better prices);
NEW Alice Frame Molle Panel Flat Bed Pack with 2 Large pouches MULTICAM
www.ebay.com/itm/174433188977
FLYYE - Molle Frame Pack - Multicam (Fits Alice LC-2 Molle II USMC 1606 Frames);
www.ebay.com/itm/154249609019
ALICE PACK FRAME Cargo SHELF USGI New From Original Case;
www.ebay.com/itm/132914724444
US.Military MOLLE II Waist Pack Multicam OCP New (this is not the seller I purchased from. I purchased mine for about half the price this seller is asking.);
www.ebay.com/itm/224531958249...
A.L.I.C.E. System Reference Links:
olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_ge...
georgia-outfitters.com/page84....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderni...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-pur...